Judgment of the General Court of 18 September 2014 — Central Bank of Iran v Council
(Case T-262/12) 1
(Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures adopted against Iran with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation — Freezing of funds — Action for annulment — Lis pendens — Obligation to state reasons — Rights of the defence)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicant: Central Bank of Iran (Tehran, Iran) (represented by: M. Lester, Barrister)
Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: M. Bishop and V. Piessevaux, acting as Agents)
Re:
Application for, in essence, annulment of (i) Council Decision 2012/35/CFSP of 23 January 2012 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 19, p. 22) and Council Decision 2012/635/CFSP of 15 October 2012 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 282, p. 58), in so far as they listed or maintained the listing, after review, of the applicant in Annex II to Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP of 26 July 2010 concerning restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Common Position 2007/140/CFSP (OJ 2010 L 195, p. 39) and (ii) Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 of 23 March 2012 concerning the adoption of restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010 (OJ 2012 L 88, p. 1), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 945/2012 of 15 October 2012 implementing Regulation No 267/2012 (OJ 2012 L 282, p. 16), in so far as they listed or maintained the listing, after review, of the applicant in Annex IX to Regulation No 267/2012.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Annuls Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 of 23 March 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010 (OJ 2012 L 88, p. 1), in so far as it listed Central Bank of Iran in Annex IX thereto;
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
Orders the Council of the European Union to bear one half of its own costs and to pay one half of the costs of Central Bank of Iran;
Orders Central Bank of Iran to bear one half of its own costs and to pay one half of the costs of the Council.
________________________1 OJ C 243, 11.8.2012.